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Exposure to young induces postpartum-like fighting in virgin female mice

1979; Elsevier BV; Volume: 23; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0031-9384(79)90041-6

1873-507X

Nancy J. McDermott, Ronald Gandelman,

Stress Responses and Cortisol

The study was designed to determine whether stimulation derived by adult virgin female mice from 1-day old pups is capable of inducing aggressive behavior similar to that displayed by lactating mice. The first experiment showed that virgins maintained continuously in the presence of pups attacked an adult male mouse intruder. It also was demonstrated that this fighting was not displayed when testing occurred 3 hr following removal of the foster young. Fighting was reinstated when the animals were re-tested 30 min following the reintroduction of the young. A final experiment showed that, in contrast to the virgin females maintained with young that did not fight, virgins that fought were rated as evidencing a significant amount of nipple development. It was concluded that nipple stimulation may be a significant condition for the production of fighting behavior in female mice.